[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 186 (Thursday, September 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60262-60263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21079]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030813; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Michigan State University, East 
Lansing, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Michigan State University has completed an inventory of human 
remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives 
of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in 
this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human 
remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to Michigan State University. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Michigan State University at the address in 
this notice by October 26, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Judith Stoddart, Associate Provost for University 
Collections and Arts Initiatives, Michigan State University, 466 W 
Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824-1044, telephone (517) 432-2524, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects under the control of Michigan State 
University, East Lansing, MI. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Levy and Manatee Counties, FL.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25

[[Page 60263]]

U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The determinations in this notice are the sole 
responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has 
control of the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Michigan 
State University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as 
Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & 
Tampa Reservations)) and The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, hereafter 
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes.''
    An invitation to consult was extended to the Miccosukee Tribe of 
Indians, hereafter referred to as ``The Invited Tribe.''

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1965, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Cedar Key State Museum site, Levy County, FL. The 
human remains (3383.1) were removed by a Mr. Thompson from the grounds 
of what would become the Cedar Key Museum State Park. Until his death 
in 1959, this real estate was owned by St. Clair Whitman. His family 
retained ownership of the property until 1991, when they donated it to 
the State of Florida. In 1968, Mr. Thompson donated the human remains 
and a lot of associated funerary items to the Michigan State University 
Museum. No known individual was identified. The one associated funerary 
object is a lot of ceramic sherds (3383.2).
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Palma Sola, shell mound cemetery, Manatee 
County, FL. The human remains (6506 CW) were acquired by Eugene Davis. 
On an unknown date, Mr. Davis donated the human remains to the 
Chamberlain Memorial Museum, founded in 1916 by Mr. Edward K. Warren 
and located in Three Oaks, Michigan. In September of 1952, Michigan 
State College Museum (now the Michigan State University Museum) 
acquired the contents of the Chamberlain Memorial Museum from Fred P. 
Warren, President of the Board of Trustees of the E. K. Warren 
Foundation. In 2019, the human remains in this notice, which were 
included in the 1952 acquisition, were discovered in the Michigan State 
University Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by Michigan State University

    Officials of Michigan State University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry based on biological evidence and museum 
records.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described 
in this notice is reasonably believed to have been placed with or near 
individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the 
death rite or ceremony.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary object and The Consulted 
Tribes and The Invited Tribe, based on archeological evidence, expert 
opinion, geographical evidence, historical evidence, and oral 
tradition.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary object should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Judith Stoddart, Associate Provost for 
University Collections and Arts Initiatives, Michigan State University, 
466 W Circle Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824-1044, telephone (517) 432-
2524, email [email protected], by October 26, 2020. After that date, if 
no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary object to The Consulted Tribes 
and The Invited Tribe may proceed.
    The Michigan State University is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribe that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 24, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-21079 Filed 9-23-20; 8:45 am]
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